WTA Katowice: 2nd Round Predictions

Katowice got underway yesterday with wins for Klara Zakopalova, Petra Martic and Lourdes Dominguez Lino; the latter defeated Laura Robson, 5-7 7-6(7) 6-1, saving one match point in the comeback win.  Once again, Laura lost a tight match and the wheels seemed to come off in that final set.  I think the young Brit is really struggling for confidence right now and hopefully Fed Cup will bring back her battling instincts.  In today's matches, my predicted finalist made it into the second round as Kiki Bertens thrashed Lara Arruabarena, 6-1 6-1.  The biggest upset so far saw Alize Cornet get thumped by the qualifier, Anna Schmiedlova, 6-3 6-0.  The top two seeds, Petra Kvitova and Roberta Vinci will kick off their campaigns tomorrow, but here some predictions for the second round matches that will take place tomorrow...

1. Kaia Kanepi v Karolina Pliskova

Kaia Kanepi

Kaia Kanepi marked her comeback on the WTA tour with a 6-1 6-1 thrashing of Sandra Zaniewska in just 53 minutes.  It was an ideal first match for Kanepi, who was playing another player making her comeback following injury.  Her second round match will be much tougher, up against Karolina Pliskova who won a lopsided match with the Spaniard, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, 6-1 3-6 6-0.  The Pliskova sisters have both started to make inroads on the tour in 2013 and it was Karolina who won her first title in Kuala Lumpur a few months ago.  Pliskova has beaten Kanepi before way way back in 2008, but I do not read much into that result.  However I am backing Pliskova for the win; despite today's good performance from Kanepi, I expect some rust from Kanepi in a tighter match situation.

Prediction - Pliskova to beat Kanepi in 3 sets

2. Lourdes Dominguez Lino v Annika Beck

Laura Robson's exit from the tournament has opened up the draw for Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Annika Beck who will meet in the second round.  Beck overcame home favourite, Marta Domachowska, 6-3 7-5 as she came from a break down in the second set to prevail.  The young German player is a talented prospect, but she has struggled in her first proper year on the tour with just 2 wins in her last 8 matches.  Dominguez Lino is a real clay court grinder and a particularly tricky customer on this surface.  I will be surprised if Beck can deal with her game...

Prediction - Dominguez Lino to beat Beck in 2 sets

Best of the rest: 2nd round predictions

Martic to beat Schmiedlova in 2 sets

Zakopalova to beat Camerin in 2 sets

I have updated my original predictions; Casablanca is already a disaster as my champion, Jurgen Melzer went out in round one.  I did say he would bomb out early or win it! And Houston, I don't know what came over me, but I went for Guido Pella to make the semi-finals, who went out round one; what can I say, for these smaller tournaments I like to take a few risks!